Wrist watch band, bracelet, or similar article



D. E. JATEN Jan. 4, 1944.

WRIST WATCH BAND, BRACELET, OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed Dad. 20, 1941 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRIST WATCH BAND, BRACELET, OR SIMILAR ARTICLE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to wrist watch bands, bracelets and similar articles.

One object. of the invention is the provision of an article of the class described which is elastic so that it can be fitted to wrists of various sizes and which has a desirable ornamental appearance, for example, the appe'arence of a leather strap.

Another object is to provide a wrist watch band or the like which is self-adjustable in size on the wearers wrist and which, iscomfortable to wear.

A further object is the provision of a wrist watch band or the like having an inner elastic member which is concealed by a layer of inelastic material associated with said inner member in such manner as not to interfere with the adjustability thereof.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a wrist watch band embodying the present invention, illustratign the band attached to a watch shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the band;

'Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the band, showing the same in stretched condition;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a band, showing another form of the invention;

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the covering layer formed of a plurality of strips.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the band I0 here shown as a wrist watch strap or bracelet attached to watch [2 comprises an inner elastic member or strip I4 and an outer or covering member or layer 16 secured to member l4 and automatically stretchable and contractible therewith. End connecting members 18 are attached to the ends of band In for connecting the latter to the watch, it being understood that said end connecting members may be of any suitable type. It will be understood also that while band I0 is shown as composed of members l4 and I 6 extending continuously from one end connecting member to the other, said band may be divided between its ends and provided with an adjustable buckle or the like, of any of the many available types, connected to the divided parts of the band, for the purposes of adjustment or to facilitate putting on and taking off the band from the wrist.

The band it] will now be more specifically described with respect to inner member l4 and covering layer it and more particularly in regard to the characteristics of these elements considered separately and in combination with each other.

Inner member M consists preferably of a strip of elastic fabric, woven or braided, or otherwise fabricated, and containing elastic threads which extend longitudinally of the strip so that the latter is longitudinally elastic, said elastic threads being indicated more or less diagrammatically at 28 in Fig. 5. The character of the weave or braiding of elastic member I4 is preferably such that said strip does not vary substantially, if at all, in width when the band is stretched or contracted in length. Elastic tapes of this character are of known construction and therefore require no detailed description here. In other words, strip M is preferably composed of a oneway stretch elastic fabric. It will be understood that elastic member Ht may be formed of a strip of rubber instead of being woven, braided, or otherwise fabricated from threads, or may be formed of any other elastic material.

The outer member or covering layer It comprises a strip 22 of any suitable material, such as, for example, leather, fabric, simulated leather, coated tapes, plastics, etc., which material need not be and preferably is not elastic or stretchable in itself. As here shown, said strip is wound around inner member I 3 and covers both sides and both edges of said inner member, said strip extending in the winding thereof longitudinally of member I4 as well as transversely thereof. Layer l6 thus comprises a series of integral transversely extending portions 24 on each side of member l4 conrgected by integral edge covering portions 26.

In the relaxed or non-tensioned and unstretched condition of member M, transversely extending portions 24 are disposed in adjusted side by side relation and preferably in edge-abutting relation. When said elastic member 14 is stretched said portions move away from each other in the direction of the length of the band, said portions moving toward each other when member I4 contracts. In Fig. 4, the movement of portions 24 away from each other issomewhat exaggerated for the purpose of illustration, and in this connection it will be understood that ordinarily the spaces between portions 24 are so narrow, even when the band is substantially increased in length by stretching member I4, that said inner member 14 is only slightly visible through said spaces except upon close examination of the band. Although, strip 22 varies in length with the stretching and contracting of inner elastic member l4, said outer layer l6 constituted by said strip 22 does not Wrinkle and does a not move in relation to inner member I4 but,

on the contrary, moves with the latter when stretching and contraction of the latter takes place. For this purpose strip 22 is secured to inner member 14 preferably adhesively, as by rubber cement or latex, whereby transversely extending portions 24 are adhesively connected to the adjacent underlying portions of member l4 Without adhesion between the adjacent side edges of adjacent portions 24 to each other. Preferably the adhesive is applied both to the inner surface of strip 22 and to both sides of member M.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, covering layer l6a can be formed of a plurality of strips 22a and 22b which may be of different appearance, for example, of contrasting colors, textures, or of both color and texture. As shown, strips 22a and 221) are arranged in side by side relation so that the transversely extending portions 24a and 24b of strips 22a and 22b, respectively, are disposed alternately along the length of the band. In other respects, said covering layer lBa is the same as covering layer l6, and the band has the same construction and characteristics as band 10.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the inner elastic member I40 of the band is shown as circular, being formed of an elastic braided cord of circular cross section, and the covering layer Iiic is correspondingly shaped. In other respects, the band shown in Fig. 6 is the same as the bands described above. It will be understood, further, in this connection that the inner member or core of the bands embodying the present invention can be oval orof any other cross-sectional form instead of being flat or round as hereinbefore described. It will be understood, also, that the core or inner member of the band may be composed of a plurality of strips instead of one strip or cord as in the illustrated forms of the invention.

Thus, it is seen that the constructions herein shown or described are Well adapted to accomplish the objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein shown or described and that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made and will ooour to skilled artisans in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the invention as herein illustrated or described except to the extent which may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An elastic band comprising an elastic member extending longitudinally of the band, and a strip of covering material wound helically around said elastic member and disposed thereon for substantially the full length thereof, said elastic member comprising a length of longitudinally elastic tape, said strip having a series of portions extending transversely of the band and disposed in side by side relation thereon, said transversely extending portions being secured to the underlying portions, respectively of said elastic member whereby said portions of said strip are movable in unitary relation with said underlying portions, respectively, when said elastic member is extended and contracted in length.

2. An elastic band comprising an inner member extending longitudinally of the band, said inner member comprising a length of material which is elastic longitudinally and substantially inextensible in width, said inner member comprising a length of fabric comprising a plurality of longitudinal elastic threads, and a covering layer comprising portions extending transverse- 1y of the band and disposed thereon in fixed relation to the underlying portions of said inner elastic member, said transverse portions being secured to said underlying portions, respectively, of said inner member so that said transverse portions are movable in unitary relation with said underlying portions, respectively, and the adjacent side edges of adjacent transverse portions are movable toward and away from each other when said innermember is contracted and stretched, respectively.

3. An elastic band comprising an inner member extending longitudinally of the band for at least a part of the length and resiliently extensible and contractible in the direction of the length of the band, said inner member being formed of a length of fabric comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic threads, and a covering layer on said inner member comprising portions extending transversely of said inner member and secured to the underlying portions, respectively, of said inner member and movable therewith and thereby when said inner member stretches and contracts, whereby said band is extensible and contractible without stretching or contracting said transversely extending portions of said covering layer.

DUDLEY E. JA'IEN. 

